Acanthephyra armata A. Milne-Edwards, 1881b

Alves-Júnior, Flavio De Almeida, Araújo, Marina De Sá Leitão Câmara De, Bertrand, Arnaud & Souza-Filho, Jesser F., 2016, First report of two deep-sea shrimps of the genus Acanthephyra A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Acanthephyridae) from southwestern Atlantic, Zootaxa 4184 (1), pp. 193-200 : 196-197

Acanthephyra armata A. Milne-Edwards, 1881b

( Fig. 3 A, B, C)

Acanthephyra armata A. Milne-Edwards 1881b: 12 .— Spence Bate 1888: 744.— Wood-Mason & Alcock 1892: 359.— Lloyd 1907: 4.— Kensley 1977: 18; 1981: 21a; 57b.— Shinomiya et al. 1985: 68.— Chace 1986: 10.— Crosnier 1987: 697.— Pequegnat & Wicksten 2006: 95.— Poore et al. 2008: 85.— Felder et al. 2009: 1052.— Radhika Rajasree 2011: 294.— Richer de Forges et al. 2013: 49.

Material examined. 2 individuals, 1 F (TL: 68,9 mm; CL: 14,6 mm) and 1 OF (TL: 82,7 mm; CL: 30,2 mm), Potiguar Basin, #MT– 71, 1074 m, 04° 46' S–036° 08' W, 0 5 May 2011, MOUFPE: 15.574. 13 individuals, 7 F (TL: 77,4–88,5 mm; CL: 30,5 mm – 34,2 mm), 4 M (TL: 79,6 mm – 85,3 mm; CL: 22,7 mm – 27,6 mm) and 2 OF (TL: 99,2 mm – 115,4 mm; CL: 35,7 mm – 41,2 mm), Potiguar Basin, #MT–74– 2, 1080 m, 04° 33' S–036° 41' W, 15 May 2011, MOUFPE: 15.630.

Diagnosis. Carapace smooth, upper surface with a crest of five small teeth, rostrum long and slender overreaching scaphocerite, upturned, dorsal margin umarmed, ventral margin with only one subdistal teeth; antennal spine present; branchiostegal spine present and strongly carinated. Pleon smooth, laterally compressed, dorsally carinated (except pleonite 1). Pleonite 1 notched in the median line. Pleonite 3 posterodorsal angle produced into a tooth, reaching 1/4 of pleonite 4. Pleonite 3–6 with a posterodorsal angle produced into a short tooth. Male pleopod 2, appendix interna with setae on distal margin and 1/3 length of appendix masculina. Telson smooth, as long as endopod of uropods, lacking marginal spines, with 4 spines distally (Modified from Spence Bate 1888).

Geographic distribution. (Fig. 04) Indian Ocean: South Africa, Madagascar, Arabian Sea, Indian (Kerala) . Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Japan (Okanawa), Bay of Bengal , Andamam Sea , Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesian (off Banda Island and Kei Island ) , New Caledonia, Fiji Island (Suva Harbour, Lauthalia Harbour), Polynesia. Atlantic Ocean: USA (Off Louisiana, Florida, Albany), Gulf of Mexico, West Indies (off Natal) , Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles ( St. Lucia island ) , Venezuela, Brazil (Potiguar Basin, first record from the south Atlantic ) ( Lloyd 1907; Kensley 1977, 1981a, b; Shinomiya et al. 1985; Chace 1986; Crosnier 1987; Pequegnat & Wicksten 2006; Poore et al. 2008; Felder et al. 2009; Radhika Rajasree 2011; Richer de Forges et al. 2013).

Bathymetric distribution. These specimens occurred herein between 1074–1080 m in muddy substrates, but Springer & Bullis (1956) recorded this species in depth of 37 m in Oragon station 560 on Dominica Island, however, their occurrence is usually between 365–2880 ( Chace 1986; Kensley 1977; Crosnier 1987; Pequegnat & Wicksten 2006).

Remarks. This species is typically benthic, occurring along the continental slope and especially, in insular slopes, as observed by Springer & Bullis (1956), Chace (1986) and Pequegnat & Wicksten (2006). The specimens analyzed herein are in accordance with the descriptions provided by A. Milne-Edwards (1881b), Kensley (1977), Chace (1986) and Crosnier (1987). However, a slight variation was observed in the number of post rostral spines, 3–6 instead of 3–4 mentioned by Chace (1986). In the individuals with 6 spines, 4 were prominent and 2 were reduced to small tubercles. Some specimens presented broken rostrum and damages on their abdominal region (somites 3–4). Females were more abundant and larger than males. This species is exclusive of deep water, being present at two out of 30 sampling stations in the area of Potiguar Basin and only occurring in isobath of 1000 m. The record of these species in the southwestern Atlantic is an important advancement to foster the knowledge of the geographic distribution of genus Acanthephyra .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Acanthephyra armata A. Milne-Edwards, 1881 b, ovigerous female. A. Lateral view. B). Head, lateral view. C. Telson, dorsal view (C) (TL 115, 4 mm; MOUFPE 15.574). Scale bar = 1 cm.